Category: [AS01] Observatory Operations to Optimize Scientific Return 

Subcategory: Proposal entry systems; phase I + phase II, etc. 
	
Title: An Orientation Tool to Support Proposal Submission

Authors: Anuradha Koratkar, Sandy Grosvenor, Julie Breed, Lisa Dallas 

Abstract:

Many scientific observational programs require the Field Of View (FOV) or
aperture to have a specific orientation on the sky. Further, there is a 
strong interplay between orient requirement specifications, other scheduling 
constraints and probability of having suitable guide-stars for any given
observation. For HST, this task is manually intensive, error-prone, and 
often leads to scheduling problems. We are prototyping an interactive, 
visual tool for fine-tuning the target location and orientation. This tool,
while developed with the requirements of HST in mind, will also be easily 
adaptable to other observatories.

Currently, HST observers manually enter all target location information,
including the orientation angle in their phase II form.  There is 
no tool that attempts to display the various HST apertures onto a sky image. 
A finding chart using the Guide Star Survey plates is generated only 
as a final validation step.  With a visual orientation and target location
system, we expect to dramatically reduce time and errors involved in target
specification, while also increasing the scheduling flexibility of proposals.

The tool will run under any standard Web browser, and will graphically
display an instrument's aperture/FOV on a finding chart. The tool will 
have interactive drag-and-drop capability so that the observer can 
intuitively fine tune the location and orientation of the FOV.  The user 
will have the ability to define specific areas/objects for inclusion/
exclusion, letting the tool calculate optimal orientations. Additional
features under consideration are the ability to model and visualize a exposure 
based on the observing information and instrument characteristics.